When Tom Brady finally served his four-game “Deflategate” suspension, the reigning Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos got off to a 4-0 start behind their own late-round quarterback.
Trevor Siemian, the 250th overall draft pick in 2015, outdueled three top overall selections in Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston during a magnificent first month as Peyton Manning’s surprise successor.
Then, reality hit — along with Tampa Bay defensive tackle Clinton McDonald.
He flung Siemian to the turf, bruising his left shoulder, the first in a string of Denver injuries that have sidelined DeMarcus Ware, C.